Door closing and checking device



June 1, 1937. D. R. LAslER DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKING DEVICE I Filed Feb.19, 1934 2 Sheets-Shea?I l June 1, 1937. D. R. LAslER DOOR CLOSING ANDCHECKING DEVICE Filed Feb. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. f @W j PatenteclJune 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE David R. Lasier, Chicago, Ill.,assigner to Norton- Lasier Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application February 19, 1934, Serial No. 711,911

6V claims.

'Ihis invention relates to improvements in door closing and checkingdevices of the concealed type mounted in the head frame of the doorcasing above the door and the improvements disclosed are particularlyapplicableto such a device which is single acting for controlling theclosing of a door against a door stop or jamb.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose an over-head doorclosing and checking device, all the mechanism of which is fullyconcealed when the door is in its closed position.

It is further an object of the present invention to disclose an improvedconstruction in which adjustments may be made from the under side of thedoor closing and checking device without removing the frame or supporttherefor from the head frame of the door casing. More particularly theltwo speed adjustment for the door closing and door latching speed isaccessible for adjustment without removal of any parts and the tensionof the door Yclosing spring Vmay be adjusted and finally the securingmeans for holdingv the checking cylinder in adjusted position isaccessible from the underside of the support therefor.

Further improvements relate to the mechanical design of the parts whichenables convenient assembly of the parts and a design which willwithstand the heavy strains to vwhich the parts of the device may besubjected when in use.

Various other objects and advantages of my improvements will be morereadily apparent from the following description taken in connection withthe attached drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewpartially in section showing the connection of the door to the doorclosing and checking device;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the top edge of the door showing the lever indotted lines;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the actuating parts for the doorclosing and checking device with the door in closed position;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the supporting plate for the door closing andchecking device partially showing in section a portion of the doorclosing spring.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of the supporting plate on the planeindicated 5 5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken through the door, door casingand the door closing and checking device, and

Figure 7 is a detail cross section to show the mounting of the doorclosing spring.

The door I is shown mounted by butt hinges I2 on the door casing I 4.The door is permitted (Cl. 1li-49) to swing in only one direction and inits closed position seats against the door jamb or stop I6 of the doorcasing. The head frame I8 of the door casing is recessed as at 2B toreceive the door closing and checking device 22. It will be understoodthat the overhead concealed door closer and checking device, as hereindisclosed, is equally adaptable to a metal frame and door as well as aWood frame and door, as herein specically disclosed. In the upper edgeof the door a track 24 is secured by screws 26. A slide 28 is slidablymounted by the track 24. The slide 28 has a pivot 30 for'connection withone end of the S-shaped actuating lever 32. It will be understood thatthe lever 32 is so designed that the door may be swung open to 180 fromits closed position. A cushioning spring 34 may be mounted at one end ofthe track 24,-as yshown in Figures 2 and 3, for cushioning engagementwith the slide 28 at the maximum open position of the door.

. The lever 32 is provided with a slot 35 at one y end for connectionwith the lower end of the drive shaft 38 of the door closing andchecking device. As shown in Figure '7 the lever 32 is held in positionwith respect to the spindle shaft 38 by a screw 48. A ratchet sleeve 42is mounted concentric with the shaft 38 and the protruding lower end ofthe sleeve 23 has ratchet teeth 44 for engagement with a pawl 46pivotally carried on the upper side of the lever 32.

In order to conceal the operating parts so far as possible, a pair ofplates 48 and 50 are provided. The flat plate 48 is secured by screws 52to the underside of the door closing and checking device immediatelyover the door when the door is in closed position. This plate 48 may becut out to iit around the ratchet sleeve 42. The plate 50 is a Z-shapedplate attached by screws 54 to the underside of the door closing andchecking device in place of the door jamb I6 that has been cut away bythe provision of the recess 20 in the head frame. As shown by Figure 6the plate 50 overlaps the lower end of the spindle 38 and extendsadjacent to the upper edge of the door when the door is in closedposition to fully conceal the actuating lever 32.

The door closing and checking device includes a supporting frame Battached to the head frame of the door casing by the screws 58 extendingthrough the openings 60 shown in Figures 4 and 5. Upon the upper side ofthe plate 56 is mounted a fluid checkingv device 62 which is of thecustomary type including a cylinder and a piston actuated by thevertical drive spindle 64, which protrudes upwardly from the checkingcylinder. It will be understood that this arrangement is necessarybecause of diiculty of properly sealing the bearing for the spindleunless it is on the upper side of the checking cylinder. The spindle 64has mounted thereon a drive sprocket 68.

The spindle 38 previously referred to has mounted at its upper end asprocket 'l0 which is held in position by a screw l2. A continuous chain14 constitutes the driving connection between the sprockets and 68. Inorder to keep the chain 14 tight, thechecking cylinder 62 is adjustablysecured by bolts 16 which pass through slotted openings 18 formed in thesupporting seats 80 of the supporting plate 56. The heads of the boltare on the underside of the plate 56 and are received in recesses 82.

At one end of the plate 56 an integral upward extension 84 is provided,including spaced posts 86 and a top plate 88 forming a bearing seat 96,the upper end of which has an annular flange 92. As shown in Figure 7,the bearing seat 90 v receives the ball bearing 94 which constitutes thebearing for the upper end of the spindle 38.

The sprocket 10 is mounted on the spindle 38 above the flange 92. Theratchet sleeve 42 'is shouldered as at 96 for support on a ball bearing98 which is pressed into the bearing seat |00 formed in the plate 56. Aat coiled spring element |02 surrounds the sleeve 42, the inner end ofthe spring |02 being attached to the sleeve 42 and the outer end |94 ofthe spring is bent to anchor on one of the posts 86, depending upon thedirection in which the door is mounted to swing, as shown in Figure 4.

From the construction disclosed it will be understood that the movementof the door from its closed position will rotate the sleeve 42 inadirection to tighten the spring |02. The tension of the spring in theclosed position of the door may be adjusted by rotation of the sleeve 42relative to the spindle 38 and the parts may be locked in adjustedposition by the pawl 46, whereupon the sleeve 42 will rotate as a unitwith the spindle 38.

The frame plate 56 is provided with a pair of spaced openings |06 sodisposed that the regulating screw |08 associated with the checkingcylinder 62 is accessible for adjustment through one of these openings|06, the particular opening depends upon whether the checking device isassembled for a right or left hand door. When the device is completelyinstalled the regulating screw |08 is accessible for adjustment throughthe opening |06 in plate 56 and an opening |09 in plate 48. It will beunderstood that the screw |08 may be adjusted to vary the checkingaction throughout the closing movement of the door and particularly toobtain an independent adjustment for the latching speed of the door.

After assembly of the mechanism on the supporting plate 56, the partsmay be covered by a dust-proof box ||0, the position of which isdetermined by shoulders ||2 at the opposite ends of the plate 56 and thebox I0 is secured in position by screws ||4 extending through the boxinto openings ||6 formed in upward extensions from the plate 56 at theopposite sides thereof. The frame plate 56 is further provided withopenings ||8 to receive the screws 52 which attach the plate 48 andopenings |20 to receive the screws 54 for attaching the plate 50.

I claim:

1. In an overhead door closing and checking device, a door frame havinga door stop thereon, a door hinged to said door frame to swing in onedirection away from said door stop, the head frame of said door framehaving a recess cut therein through said door stop, a door closing andchecking device concealed in said recess and including an operatingspindle extending downwardly therefrom, a lever operatively connectedwith said spindle at one end and slidably connected at the other endwith the upper Aedge of said door and a closing plate applied to theunderside of said door closing and checking device in place of thecut-away door stop in position to extend adjacent to the door and toconceal the operating lever when the door is in closed position.

2. In a device of the class described, a door frame, the upper sill ofsaid door frame having a recess therein, a frame plate secured to saidupper sill in a position to close the bottom of said recess, doorclosing and checking mechanism mounted on said plate and concealedwithin said recess including an operating spindle protruding downwardlyfrom said plate, a plate fixed to the underside of said frame plate in aposition to be above the upper edge of the door when the door is inclosed position, a second plate xed to the underside of said frame platein a position to conceal the lower end of said spindle and to contactthe upper side edge of the door when said door is in closed position,said last-mentioned plates being vertically spaced to receive andconceal an operating lever connected at one end to said spindle andslidably connected at the other end to the edge of said door.

' 3. An overhead door closing and checking device adapted to beconcealed in the door casing above the door comprising, a frame memberadapted to be secured to said door casing, said frame member including abottom plate and an upper plate, posts through which said upper plate issupported from said bottom plate, a-

coiled door closing spring positioned between said plates and anchoredat its outer end upon one of said posts, said plates having bearingstherein, a drive spindle mounted vin said bearings and connected to theinner end of said spring, said spindle extending above and below saidspaced plates, a lever through which the lower end of said spindle isadapted to be operatively connected to the door, a fluid checking devicemounted on the upper side of said bottom plate at one side of saidspring, said fluid checking device including an upwardly extendingspindle and flexible means for operatively connecting the upper end ofsaid first spindle to said second spindle.

4. An overhead door closing and checking device adapted to be concealedin a door casing above the door comprising, a frame, said frameincluding a bottom plate, a pair of upwardly directed posts thereon, anupper plate integrally supported on said posts spaced from said bottomplate, a coiled door closing spring received between said spaced platesand anchored at its outer end upon one of said posts, antifrictionbearings mounted in said plates, a ratchet sleeve supported for rotationby the bearing in the bottom plate and connected to the inner end ofsaid spring, said sleeve extending beneath said bottom F plate andhaving ratchet teeth thereon, a spindle shaft rotatably mounted in thebearing carried by said upper plate and extending downwardly throughsaid sleeve, a door operated lever keyed to the lower end of saidspindle shaft and adjustably connected to the ratchet teeth on saidsleeve, said spindle shaft extending above said upper plate, a sprocketlxed to the upper end of said spindle shaft above said plate, a fluidchecking cylinder mounted on said bottom plate at one side of saidspring, said cylinder having a rotatable shaft upwardly extendingtherefrom, a sprocket on said shaft and a flexible chain for connectingsaid sprockets.

5. An overhead door closing and checking device adapted to be installedin a recess cut into the h ead frame of the door frame and through aportion of the door stop thereon comprising a supporting plate, doorclosing and checking means mounted on the upper side of said plate, anoperating spindle connected to said door closing and checking means andprojecting through and beneath said plate, a door operated lever con--nected to the projecting end of said spindle and a cover plate securedto the underside of said supporting plate and having a ange parallel tobut spaced from said supporting plate extending beneath the lower end ofsaid spindle, a portion of said lever being received in the spacebetween said flange and supporting base when the door is in closedposition.

6. An overhead door closing and checking device adapted to be, installedin a recess cut into the upper sill of a door frame comprising asupporting plate, door closing and checking means mounted on the upperside of said plate, an openating spindle connected to said door closingand checking means and having its lower end projecting through saidplate, a door operated lever secured to the lower end of said spindlebeneath said plate, a cover plate secured to the under side of saidsupporting plate in position to serve as a portion of the usual doorstop, said cover plate having a portion spaced from said supportingplate and adapted to extend beneath and conceal a portion of theoperating lever when the door is in closed position.

DAVID R. LASIER.

